Today I felt inspired to write about Inspiration.
What is Inspiration?
If I was asked by whom or what I was inspired to write about Inspiration, my answer would be neither, Inspiration just came to me.
Usually I would define Inspiration as "someone or something that gives you ideas for doing something", but that's not really true.
Ideas are formed by flashes of inspiration, but Inspiration doesn't have a materialistic form. I mean yes, people can inspire you to do something, places can inspire you, things, art, sounds, odors and anything else you can sense, but inspiration itself comes from within you.
What you are inspired by is unique to who you are and how you perceive.
How to be inspired
Obviously there are many ways to be inspired , but what I've personally have been noticing especially lately is that Inspiration is something you cannot force, you cannot want to feel inspired, you only are inspired. It's not something that happens in your conscious mind, something you can control.
Just like intuition, inspiration is formed in your sub-conscious mind and is surrounded by something like a strong willpower that wants you to manifest and bring to life whatever inspiration gives you.
Inspiration doesn't work without cooperating with humans.
Inspiration is something magical and in order for you to be able to receive, you first of all must believe that it exists. When you are looking for the solution to a problem, you must believe that it exists, otherwise it's impossible to enter your reality.
I guess we can agree on that inspiration is somewhat related to creativity, or say that inspiration is sudden creativity.
Sometimes when you feel uncreative, you might not know what topic to blog about next on Steemit, or you're thinking about what you should cook for dinner, you're looking for a spark of inspiration..
Types of Inspiration
Now there are different ways to go about "receiving inspiration" and there are two types of Inspiration that I want to touch on.
The first one is obvious, it's the type of inspiration that comes from the outer world. You see something and that inspires you to do something similar or you associate it with a thought that then triggers a certain idea. For example, you can feel inspired by a quote..
The second one seems more difficult for most people, because it requires your own creative mind. Great innovators like Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo Da Vinci, Marie Curie or Galileo Galilei have all used both types of inspiration, but unlike most people do not rely on the first type and rather focus on the second type of inspiration. The type of Inspiration that comes from within you, Inspiration that hits you while doing it.
cA good example of that would be when you sit down and simply begin abstract painting. I actually used to paint a lot (might share some images here on Steemit) and after the drawing was done, I was always mind blown by what I had created without the slightest idea of where it came from, the choice of colors, the design patterns. The same goes with writing. Sometimes I begin to write and don't know where it's going (a little bit like right now). In the beginning I didn't know what I was going to write about and all of a sudden a flash of inspiration hits me and I can't stop typing.
We tend to underestimate the power of type 2.
Real life example:
For the longest time I was forcefully thinking about the name for an important upcoming project. I marked down a deadline, when a decision for a name must be reached. Days went by, I was waiting for the name to come, but it didn't. When the day of the deadline came, still nothing. I felt frustrated and couldn't figure out why it was so damn hard to find the perfect name. I went online, researched for hours and looked everywhere I could to feel inspired.
At that point I was through it, I was done and said to myself " f... it!" We'll continue working on the project, I need a break from searching for a name. And as life loves surprises, two days later the name was there, effortlessly delivered by: INSPIRATION!
My top 3 Tips for receiving Inspiration:
- Don't try to forcefully find Inspiration, let Inspiration find you (even when it's urgent)
Try doing something that has nothing to do with what you need inspiration for, like doing laundry, going out with your friends or anything else and watch inspiration sneak to you, when you least expect it
- Go outside, change your environment
It's difficult for something new to emerge from the same. What I mean by that is, as mentioned earlier Inspiration comes from your senses, so it only makes sense that if you stimulate them it will be easier for Inspiration to get to you.
- Believe in it and don't get mad at it
Just like you won't find happiness, by holding on to anger.. Inspiration can't get to you, when you're mad it. Trust in its timing, BELIEVE that it's there and kindly let it know that you are welcoming it whenever it's ready.
I hope you feel inspired by this blogpost (ok enough with this word).
But lastly, I would love to know if you're rather a type 1. who searches for inspiration, or type 2. who gets surprise by inspiration more often. And one more Q:
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Much love,
- Mrs.Steemit